A Civilization with Flush Toilets But No Army

5/20/2018 12:00:00 AM

It is kind of an irony that in this century we are running campaigns on “Swachh Bharat” and yet we happen to inhibit part of the area of one of the oldest civilizations of the world, The Indus Valley, that thrived from 2600 to 1900 BC had hosted the world’s first known flush toilets.

The largest urban culture that existed in Indus Valley still has archeologist working on it for very little has been found of the people who had the most elaborate urban system and those who communicated in one of the world’s most complex scripts which yet archeologists are trying to decipher. One interesting fact is that of all that has been found so far there has been no evidence of any kind of warfare.

The most fascinating of this civilization that the researchers found was the world’s first known flush toilets. Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa the two largest cities boasted of elaborate and Complex Street planning with proper house drainage systems in place. There were toilets and baths that were connected with brick drainage that ran along the streets but were hidden behind layers of bricks and disguised from view. The waste seems to be having been flushed using water.

The Harappa’s had in those days proper plumbing system in place. Every household had a bathroom and many had toilets as well. The complete city had drainage system that flushed waste way out of the city limits. It seems like that the people of this culture were more devoted in planning elaborate cities than engaging in wars.